Traction engine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

V. KROH.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 351,112. Patented Oct 19, 1 86.

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. V. KROH.

' TRACTION ENGINE. No. 351.112. Patented Oct. 19, 1886.

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(No Model.)

V. KROH. TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 351,112. Patented Oct.- 19, 1886.

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TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,112, dated October 19, 1886.

Application filed January 25, 1886 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR KRoH, a subject of theEmperor of Austria-Hungary, and a resident of Krumau, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly shown in section. Fig. 2 is a half end elevation and half transverse section, and Fig. 3 is atop plan view, of a traction-engine embodying my improvemcnts; and Figs. 4, r, and 4" are detail views of one of the controlling and steering wheels.

The street-locomotives or traction-engines now in use have several defects in consequence of their construction which limit their use for the drawing of heavy vehicles on ordinary roads, and for the working of agricultural machinery.

The traction-engine represented in the accompanying drawings is constructed on an entirely new principle, which will be readily understood from the following specification, and consists of, first, the boiler and fittings; second, the driving-gear; third, the carriage.

1. Tlzeb0iZer.-The boilerAisacommon horizontal tubular boilerwith rectangular fire-box, a number of horizontal tubes, and a round smoke-box, on which is placed the funnel. In the smokebox ends the joint exhaustpipe of the two cylinders, which also acts to create an extra draft. Any othersuitable kind of boiler may of course be used forthis purpose.

2. The driving-gear.-The locomotive consists of two diagonally arranged and coupled engines, whose cylinders B B operate a double crank-shaft, D, situated over the hind wheels, through the connecting rods C O. From this shaftD another double crankshaft, F,is driven through the connecting-rods E E, this shaft F being situated over the fore wheels. The distribution of steam may be effected by a linkmotion of ordinary construction,and regulated from the drivers platform by levers or screws. The engine can also be constructed as a compound engine, with cylinders of different size and two separate link-motions.

3. The carriage.-The carriage consists of a wrought-iron frame, G G G G,which supports the boiler and the engines. In this frame are Serial No. 189,690. (No model.)

journaled the shafts D and F, with their driving-rollers N, which rollers are carried on the steel tires M, which steel tires carry in consequence the frame G. To this frame are fixed, under the driving-rollers N, two or more pairs of brackets, H, between which are arranged two or more supports in box form J, around a vertical axle, K. The upper and lower ends of these supports J are prolonged horizontally, and in lugs of these arms are journaled four guide-rollers, L, for every steel tire M which moves between these guide rollers. These steel tires M, four of which are shown in the drawings, carry the frame, and with the frame the boiler and the engine, according to the arrangement of the locomotive. More than four can be used. Each of these steel tires M is 0011- structed of several wider and narrower steel bands, so arranged that the outer periphery has a deep groove in the niddle, in which groove run the driving-rollers N, and the guiderollers L. Through the driving-rollers N the weight of the whole machine rests on the steel tires M, and when the former revolve the latter are put also in a rotary motion through the friction, and thus cause the locomotive to travel. If the friction should not be suflicient to impart a rotary motion to the steel tires M, eonoidal steel teeth are fixed into the driving-roller, which teeth must engage in corresponding holes in the groove of the steel tire, or another tooth mechanism may be used, which insures a good engaging of theteeth. Onto the smaller steel bands of the tire are riveted the usual diagonal cross-pieces. The steel tires which carry the weight of the machine, through the driving-rollers N and the guide-rollers L, form at the sametimethe springs of the locomotive, because of their elasticity. Theyare flattened a little on the top and bottom, and have also, therefore, a larger area of friction on the road. If, through the ground being uneven, one of the tires should come out of contact with its driving-roller, it would not much matter, as a few turns of the driving-roller would bring the teeth into gear again after they are in contact with the tire.

The steering of the locomotive is effected by connecting the supports J of the opposite sides by draw-bars P. On one side of the machine (in the drawings the left side from the driver s platform) the segment of a Worm-wheel, Q, is

p to make one of these supports adjustable.

. drawing-power.

affixed to the supports J, with which engage two worms, W W, as shown in Fig. 3. One of these worms, WV, is left-handed and the other, TV, right-handed, and they. are operated by the reversible gear It, the sleeve S,vand shaft T in such a manner that the position of the supports J can be shifted round their vertical axles K. As the tires M follow these movements of the guide-rollers L, they are either placed in a curve or parallel with each other in transverse direction. locomotive will describe curves. In the latter it will move in a transverse direction. If the point of steering the locomotive in a transverse direction is to be abandoned, it will snfflee to couple the supports J by draw-bars and The supports J in box form, hollow and well riveted, serve for the storage of the water to fill the boiler, and are connected with each other and the drivers platform by flexible hosepipes.

To enable this locomotive to be also used asastationary engine, one of each pair of the lower guide-rollers, L, is made movable, as represented in Fig. 4. The steel tires M will now be free of the lower guide-rollers, and by lifting the machine by a convenient lifting apparatus (in the drawings the screw-jacks U) the tires M will be disengaged from the driving-rollers N. The crank-shafts D and F are carried out so far beyond the driving-rollers N as to allow a fly-wheel and apulley or gearing-wheel to be fixed thereon to transmit the power of the machine.

The advantages of the above-described construction over the traction-engines at present in use are the following:

The weight of the machine'is utilized for friction. The engine can therefore be constructed much lighter and still have the same The weight is also utilized for the steering, and therefore aproper moving of the engine even in soft ground is as sured.

In the traction-engines at present in use the steerable front axle-tree is but very little weighted, and therefore the influence of the steering over the whole of the engine is insignificant and unreliable.

The construction of the above-described steel tires," which move wholly independent of each other, is especiallyadapted for uneven ground, as it does notinterfere with the drawing-power and the steerability of the engine if one of the tires is out of gear with its driving roller. The distribution of the weight is excellent, and as the tires themselves serve as springs for the locomotive the traveling motion thereof is extraordinarily quiet and free from breakage.

I claim- 1. Intraction-engines,thecombination,with the engine, of driving and carrying rings or tires, from the outer periphery of which said engine is wholly supported, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In traction-engines, the combination, with In the first case the the engine, of driving and carrying rings or tires and rolling bearings, from which the en gine is supported, resting on the outer periphery of said rings, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In traction-engines, the combination,with the engine, of elastic driving and carrying rings or tires, from the outer periphery of which said engine is Wholly supported, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. Intraction-engines,the combination,with

the engine, of driving and carrying rings or tires, from the outer periphery of which said engine is wholly supported, and rolling braces applied to the outer periphery of the rings to brace the same, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

5. Intraction-engines,thecombination,with the engine, of elastic driving and carrying rings or tires, from the outer periphery of which said engine is wholly supported, and revoluble controlling braces applied to the said outer periphery of the elastic rings to brace the same and control the degree of elasticity thereof, substantiallylas and for the purpose specified. I

6. In traction-engines, the combination,with the engine, of driving and carrying rings or tires, and revoluble bearings for and driven by said engine, said revoluble bearings resting and operating on the outer periphery of the rings to drive the same and support the engine therefrom, substantially as described,for the purpose specified.

7. In traction-engines, the combination,with

the engine, of elastic driving and carrying rings or tires, and revoluble bearings for and driven bysaid engine, said revoluble bearings resting and operating on the outer periphery of the rings to drive the same and support the engine therefrom, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

8. In traction-engines, the combination,with the engine, carrying and driving rings or tires, and revoluble bearings for and driven by the engine, said revoluble bearings resting and operating on the outer periphery of the rings to drive the same and support the engine therefrom, of rolling braces also applied to and op-. erating on the outer periphery of the rings to brace the same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In traction-engines,the combination,with

the engine, elastic carrying and driving rings bearings connected with and supporting the engine, resting on said outer periphery of the rings and bearings in the grooves thereof, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

11. In traction-engines, the combination, with the engine and rings or tires provided with a groove in their outer periphery, from which periphery the engine is supported, of controlling and steering wheels or rollers supported from the engine and working in the grooves of the rings, connecting-links for connecting the supports for the steering-wheels on opposite sides of the engine, and gearing for rotating the said supports on their pivots to control the direction of travel of the supporting-rings, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In tractionengines, the combination, with the engine supporting or driving rings or tires, from the outer periphery of which the engine is supported, said rings havingagroove in their outer periphery provided with a series of holes or sockets, of supporting-wheels for the engine, connected therewith and driven thereby, said wheels being provided with teeth that engage the holes or sockets in the groove of the drive and supporting rings, substantially i as and for the purpose specified. i

13. In traction-engines, the combination, with the engine, supporting and drive rings or tires, and rolling bearings from which said engine is supported, resting on the outer periphery of said rings, of water-tanks supported on vertical pivots secured to the engine in proximity to the rings and controlling and guide wheels mounted on said tanks, and operating on the periphery of the rings, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

14. In traction-engines, the combination of a boiler, an engine, a carrying-frame therefor, and a crank-shaft operated from the engine, and having its bearings in said carrying-frame, of rings or tires and wheels secured to the outer ends of the crank-shaft bearing, and operating on the outer periphery of said rings to drive the same and support the engineframe therefrom, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VICTOR KROH.

Witnesses:

H. GERLAOLY, AUG. GEssNER. 

